Kings forward Omri Casspi (18) celebrates a basket against the Utah Jazz during an NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The Kings won 114-106 to break a three-game losing streak. Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

Kings forward Omri Casspi (18) celebrates a basket against the Utah Jazz during an NBA basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. The Kings won 114-106 to break a three-game losing streak. Hector Amezcuahamezcua@sacbee.com

NBA power rankings roundup: Kings’ stock rises across the board

December 14, 2015 05:24 PM

Back-to-back wins last week earned the Kings raises in all six national power rankings sampled here.

The Kings even resurfaced in Yahoo’s Most Interesting Rankings with such teams as the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Spoiler alert: The Kings were ranked No. 10, ahead of the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets (who visit Sleep Train Arena on Tuesday).

The Kings visit Minnesota and Toronto later this week. Continuing this modest winning streak will likely be a challenge, given the Kings’ 2-8 road record.

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NBA.com: 24th, up from 25th. From the site: “With the extra rest days he had last week, George Karl shortened his rotation and got two wins in which the Kings outscored the Jazz and Knicks 120-56 in the paint.”

NBC Sports: 23rd, up from 26th. From the site: “(Rajon) Rondo is out Tuesday for what he said to referee Bill Kennedy in the game in Mexico City, and now that we know what was said he’s lucky it was just one game.”

ESPN: 25th, up from 26th. From the site: “The excitement surrounding this Rajon Rondo dunk

– and his bounce-back season in general – is justifiably replaced by shock and dismay at the specifics of the tirade he launched at veteran referee Bill Kennedy.

CBS Sports: 26th, up from 27th. From the site: “It is difficult to watch DeMarcus Cousins play like such a beast, like he did vs. the Jazz, and reconcile that with how George Karl wants him to play.”

SI.com: 23rd, up from 25th. From the site: “The soap opera continues, with Rajon Rondo now suspended a game for swearing at an official, but the good news is the Kings ended a three-game losing spell … .”

Yahoo: 10th up from unranked. The Kings had been absent from the site’s ‘Most Interesting Rankings’ for three weeks in a row. From the site: “I don’t care if they’re any good. As long as Rajon Rondo keeps doing the kind of Rajon Rondo stuff I feared might be lost forever, I’m watching the Kings.” The author is referring to Rondo’s viral behind the back dribble, his posterizing dunk against the Knicks and his fall-to-the-floor assist to Omri Casspi. Videos of all three accompany the Kings’ entry.